Prime Minister Habib Essid held a meeting of the government’s security coordination and monitoring unit, on Tuesday, February 9, which addressed domestic security as well as the possible consequences of developments in neighboring Libya, as Tunisian military and security forces brace for the eventual fallout of an impending international intervention.

The statement from the Prime Minister’s office said the security coordination and monitoring unit has “decided to strengthen the security and military presence on the Tunisian-Libyan border.” adding the decision was “in the light of the progress of Daech in [Libya] and the attempts by terrorist elements to infiltrate Tunisian territory.”

On Saturday, Defense Minister Farhat Horchani had announced the completion of a 250 km security barrier along the Tunisian-Libyan border.

During a visit to the Libyan-Tunisian border Defense Minister Horchani also stated additional electronic surveillance measures would be put in place along the border with assistance in installation and training in the use of the equipment to be provided by German and American military trainers, to be deployed once the appropriate legal framework is approved by the Asembly of the Representatives of the People (ARP).

Domestically, the statement from the Kasbah praised recent successful preemptive measures by law enforcement saying security forces were “able to take out the terrorists from their caches, dismantle several dormant cells and thwart dangerous terrorist plans.”

The security coordination and monitoring unit also reviewed several primarily domestic security issues with an eye towards improving preparedness “Given the troubled regional context, terrorist threats and dangers facing national security require a deep awareness and constant vigilance as to the gravity of the situation.”

In light of several attack plots on security agents and installations which have been thwarted in the first six weeks of 2016. The security coordination and monitoring unit also announced the “organization of inspection visits to institutions to ensure the effective implementation of measures for their self-protection.”

The meeting also reviewed the progress of equipment upgrades to military and security institutions. As well as “improving the financial and social situation of their agents so that they fully accomplish their mission.” the statement read, in a nod to addressing ongoing pay disputes with police and internal security labor unions.